The two-day training workshop for female candidates on strategic communication and media use ahead of the 2023 elections has elicited commendations from participants who said it has impacted in them life-changing experiences.

In their words: the training was a life-changing event, which has rejigged their sense of purpose in the political space and acknowledged their newly acquired skills which will improve their communication techniques and get them better acquainted with journalists.

The workshop which was convened by the International Press Centre (IPC) with the support of the European Union, held in Osogbo and had participants drawn from all the states from the south west geo-political zone and Kwara state. It was designed for female politicians vying for elective posts in the coming election season.

Abiodun Aiyetan, a House of Assembly candidate of the Actions Alliance in Ilemoba constituency two, Ekiti state said “the training was an eyeopener to me because if I had not come here, I would not have known that I should go to the media. It has really helped me and I am going to make use of this for a better result. This training will also impact the women, and right from now, it is going to be teamwork among us, and at the end of the day, it is going to be a positive reaction for success in the coming elections”

For Oyebamiji Oluwakemi Mercy, the African Democratic Congress candidate for the Osun House of Assembly in Egbedore local government, the programme has afforded her the opportunity to have a clearer vision for her political activities. “The training has given me the grace to have a better understanding of how I will run my political race. It also gave me the perfect idea of the people I need to get the victory through the media and the use of my different social media platforms. This programme has also built women’s confidence more than ever to compete for what we desired”, she said.

The experience of Oyebode Funmilade Bosede, a candidate of the ADC for the Irewole/Isokan/Ayedaade Federal Constituency in Osun state was not different as she expressed satisfaction with insights acquired on how to use the media and how to see journalists in a positive light. “This training has made me to realise that I need to make use of my social media for my business and my political career, I am so excited. It has also made me to realise that the media is my friend, and I do not to be fidgeting whenever I see journalists.

“The facilitators have also made me to see what I used to see as big deals as simple things. Believe me I have been using all the experiences gained from the programme right away”, she said.

Also, Olushola Kufisile, a candidate of the SDP for the Badagry 1 constituency in the Lagos House of Assembly also noted that “I have learnt more about using the media to promote my political career and how to tell our stories.

For Oluwabusayo Adeshola, the candidate of the NNPP for the Ife Federal Constituency noted that “This programme has broken the general limitations placed on me and other women generally. Now, we know that going forward, we women can now start showcasing ourselves more with the media.

The programme was also designed by organisers for participants to discover key areas where media engagements are advantageous and helpful for the realization of their political aspirations. Apart from the expansion of capacity, the participants at the training were full of commendations for the initiative as they emerged with refined ideas.

Participants were taken through practical sessions by the facilitators, led by Mr Monday Ashiboghu, the Managing Editor of Quick News and Ms Jadesola Ajibola, the chairperson of NAWOJ, Oyo state. They showed the female candidates how to navigate the social media; how to address the media through the writing of press releases; fluent expression of ideas at debates and how to forge ahead in seamless conversations on radio and television programmes respectively.

Also, journalists in attendance had interactive sessions with the female politicians to deepen their confidence and enhance further partnership with the media on how to express themselves in a positive light to the members of the public.

One of the participating journalists, Ebun Olafusi, a journalist with TheCable Newspaper noted that the training was needed now more than ever before commending the timing. She added that the female politicians should be ready to use the knowledge acquired to develop the society.